Good morning. I have just finished my second tour
of the Southwest border, part of an ongoing effort to
gain a better understanding of the complex mission of the
Immigration and Naturalization Service.

What I have seen since Monday has truly impressed me
- particularly the dedication of the men and women who
sacrifice everyday to protect the border and to ensure
the safety of those living and traveling along it. I
will be returning to Washington more convinced than ever
that the Bush Administration can and will fulfill its
commitment to establish and maintain a safe, orderly
border. Not just here in Yuma, but along its entire
length - from Brownsville to San Diego.

Strengthening border management is yet another sign
of the unprecedented level of cooperation that
characterizes the relationship between the United States
and Mexico today. When Presidents Bush and Fox met in
Guanajuato, Mexico in February, they announced the
creation of a high-level working group to address
migration issues. This group, which I co-chair, has been
very active since its first meeting in April.

One of our chief concerns has been how to improve
safety along our shared boundary. This concern arises
out of our mutual recognition that protecting the border
includes an obligation to protect lives, particularly the
lives of those being put in harm's way by smugglers.

Neither government can fulfill this obligation
alone. In 1998 the United States and Mexico launched a
Border Safety Initiative that aims to educate the public
about the dangers of illegal crossings and to enhance our
ability to rescue those who fail to heed these warnings.

The deaths that occurred near Wellton in late May
underscore the pressing need to improve border safety.
After leading a group of Mexican nationals into the
United States, smugglers abandoned them, instructing the
group to walk "a couple of hours" to a highway that was
actually 30 miles away. Fourteen of them never made it
out of the searing desert.

As tragic as this incident was, it could have been
worse. Fortunately, Border Patrol agents on patrol
encountered four sunburned survivors, a discovery that
spurred a three-day search that resulted in the rescue of
eight others. Agents from four different sectors were
joined in the search by members of the U.S. Marine Corps
and the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.

I was honored to meet these heroes just a few
minutes ago. They worked around the clock, often risking
their own safety, to ensure that all those who had been
abandoned were accounted for. Through their efforts,
they demonstrated that at the end of the long arm of the
law there is a helping hand.

This incident highlighted the value of the Border
Patrol's Search, Trauma, and Rescue Teams. Without the
participation of the Tucson Sector's BORSTAR team in this
search, the death toll would have risen. The team
members' specialized training in search and rescue
techniques, navigation, medical treatment, and
communications made them invaluable.

The importance of having specialized search-and-rescue teams, such as those in
Tucson and San Diego, is recognized by officials on both sides of the border. During a recent
series of local-level meetings that focused exclusively on border safety issues, the chief patrol
agents from the nine sectors that cover the Southwest border and their Mexican counterparts
agreed to expand the number of BORSTAR teams.

The goal is to establish a team in each of the nine sectors along the Southwest border.
Currently, 33 agents are receiving training in San Diego, and, when they graduate next week,
we will have enough personnel to establish teams here in Yuma and in El Centro. A second
training session tentatively scheduled to begin in September will allow us to meet our goal of a
team in every sector.

As we expand the number of BORSTAR teams we will also be able to expand our
joint training with Mexico. Last year, BORSTAR members shared their expertise with more
than 400 Mexican law enforcement officials. This year, we are fully committed to increasing
that number. Joint training not only results in better-trained agents, it also fosters mutual trust.
And for our border to be safer, more secure and more orderly, we must have both these
elements.

In addition to proper training, agents also need proper equipment. To this end, the
Yuma Sector has just deployed its first Huey helicopter. This aircraft is a very valuable addition
to the Sector's fleet because of its effectiveness in rescue work, especially in remote, rugged
terrain.

A strong foundation for improving border safety is now in place, and I look forward to
building on it with our partners. Border agents are called on to play many roles. I recognize
that the job of providing border safety is a challenge in addition to the many you confront every
day. I congratulate you on accepting this challenge. And I thank you -- and your country
thanks you -- for answering yet again the call to duty.